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William Preston
William Preston (1753 - 2 February 1807) was an Irish poet and playwright. Life Preston was born in the parish of St. Michan's, Dublin, the son of Angel (Archdall), of Fermanagh, and William Preston of Dublin.Christopher Preston, "Life and Writings of William Preston, 1753-1807," Studies: An Irish quarterly review, 31:123 (September 1942), 377-386. JStor, Web, Sep. 28, 2016. He was admitted a pensioner at Trinity College in 1766, earning a B.A. in 1770, and an M.A. in 1773. He studied in the Middle Temple, and was called to the Irish bar in 1777.O'Donoghue, 318. He assisted in the formation of the Royal Irish Academy, and was elected its first secretary in 1786. That post he held during the rest of his life. He also helped to found the Dublin Library Society, and was a frequent contributor to its Transactions. He was also a member of the drinking club "The Monks of the Screw." He wrote occasional poetry for periodicals, including the Press, the organ of the United Irishmen, and the Sentimental and Masonic Magazine, 1794; and he contributed to Pranceriana (1784, cf. Nos. 16, 24, 25, 29, 31, and 33), a collection of satirical pieces on John Hely-Hutchinson (1724–1794), provost of Trinity College, and to Joshua Edkins's collection of poems (1789–90 and 1801). His chief success was attained by his tragedy Democratic Rage, founded on incidents in the French revolution, which was produced at Dublin in 1793, and ran through three editions in as many weeks. Preston died of overwork. He was buried in St. Thomas's churchyard, Dublin. Writing His works were: 1. ‘Heroic Epistle of Mr. Manly … to Mr. Pinchbeck,’ a satire (anon.), 8vo, Dublin, 1775. 2. ‘Heroic Epistle to Mr. Twiss, by Donna Teresa Pinna y Ruiz,’ a satire, 8vo, Dublin, 1775; 2nd edit. Dublin, 1775. 3. ‘Heroic Answer of Mr. Twiss,’ by the same, a satire, 8vo, Dublin, 1775. 4. ‘1777, or a Picture of the Manners and Customs of the Age,’ a poem (anon.), 8vo, Dublin, 1778? 5. ‘The Female Congress, or the Temple of Cottyto,’ a mock-heroic poem in four cantos, 4to, London, 1779 6. ‘The Contrast, or a Comparison between England and Ireland,’ a poem, 1780. 7. ‘Offa and Ethelbert, or the Saxon Princes,’ a tragedy, 8vo, Dublin, 1791. 8. ‘Messina Freed,’ a tragedy, 8vo, Dublin, 1793. 9. ‘The Adopted Son,’ a tragedy. 10. ‘Rosmanda,’ a tragedy, Dublin, 1793, 8vo. 11. ‘Democratic Rage,’ a tragedy, 8vo, London, 1793. 12. ‘Poetical Works,’ 8vo, 2 vols. Dublin, 1793. 13. ‘The Siege of Ismail,’ a tragedy, 8vo, Dublin, 1794. 14. ‘A Letter to Bryan Edwards, Esq. … on some Passages of his “History of the West Indies,”’ 4to, London, 1794. 15. ‘The Natural Advantages of Ireland,’ 4to, Dublin, 1796. 16. ‘The Argonautics of Apollonius Rhodius,’ translated into English verse with notes, 12mo, 1803 (various other editions). 17. ‘Some Considerations on the History of the Ancient Amatory Writers and the comparative Merits of the Elegiac Poets,’ &c., Dublin? 1805? 18. ‘Posthumous Poems,’ edited by Hon. Frances Preston, with portrait, 8vo, Dublin, 1809.O'Donoghue, 319. Publications *''Heroic Epistle of Mr. Manly''. Dublin: 1775. *''An Heroic Epistle to Mr. Twiss''. Dublin: 1775; Dublin: W. Wilson, 1776. *''Heroic Answer from Richard Twiss''. Dublin: 1775; London: G. Kearsley, 1777. *''A Congratulatory Poem on the Late Successes of the British Arms. Dublin: W. Wilson, 1776. *''Seventeen Hundred and Seventy-Seven; or, A picture of the manners and customs of the age. London: T. Evans, 1777. *''An Heroic Epistle from Mr. M***ly''. Dublin: W. Wilson, 1778. *''The Female Congress; or, The temple of Cottyto: A mock-heroical poem''. 1779. *''The contrast; or, A comparison between the chracters of the English and Irish: A poem''. Dublin: William Halhead, 1780. *''Poems on Several Occasions''. Dublin: William Halhead, for W. Wilson, 1781. *''Poetical Works''. (2 volumes, Dublin: John Archer, 1793. *''Posthumous poems''. Dublin: Wilkinson & Courtney, 1809. Plays *''Offa and Ethelbert; or, The Saxon princes: A tragedy''. London: John Archer, 1791. *''Messene Freed; or, The cruel virtue: A tragedy''. Dublin: Graisberry & Campbell, for J. Archer, 1793. *''Rosmunda; or, The daughter's revenge: A tragedy''. Dublin: Graisberry & Campbell, for J. Archer, 1793. *''Democratic Rage; or, Louis the unfortunate: A tragedy''. Dublin: Graisberry and Campbell, for John Archer, 1793; London: privately published, 1793 **published in the U.S. as The Death of Louis the Sixteenth: A tragedy. Philadelphia: E. Storey, 1794. **also published as Louis the Sixteenth: A tragedy, in five acts. New York: T. & J. Swords, 1794. *''The Siege of Ismail; or, The prospect of war: An historical tragedy''. Dublin : printed by Graisberry & Campbell, 1794. Non-fiction *''A Letter to Bryan Edwards ... on his History of the West Indies''. London: J. Johnson, 1795. *''Essay on the Natural Advantages of Ireland. Dublin: 1796; Dublin: 1803. *''A Letter to the Rev. George Miller ... occasioned by the preface to an Essay on the manufactures of Ireland. Dublin: P. Byrne, 1798. Translated *Apollonius Rhodius, The Argonautics; translated. Dublin : Graisberry and Campbell, 1803; London: Suttaby, Evance, & Fox, 1811. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:William Preston 1807, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Sep. 28, 2016. See also *List of Irish poets References * . Wikisource, Web, Sep. 28, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *William Preston (1753-1807) info & 4 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;About *"Life and Writings of William Preston, 1753-1807," Studies: An Irish quarterly review, at JStor * Preston, William (1753-1807) Category:1753 births Category:1807 deaths Category:Irish poets Category:Irish dramatists and playwrights Category:Irish male writers Category:Male dramatists and playwrights Category:People from Dublin (city) Category:18th-century Irish people Category:19th-century Irish people Category:Alumni of Trinity College, Dublin Category:Male poets Category:18th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets